Earlier today, through a message received on social media, Halifax District RCMP learned of allegations made by individual/s against RCMP members and their response to an incident involving a youth in Lower Sackville on May 5, 2018. These allegations were concerning given they did not reflect what occurred when our officers responded. We have reached out to the family of the youth to have a discussion regarding these allegations and police response.

To clarify the misinformation circulating on social media, we are sharing the following information about that incident.

On May 5 at 9:20 p.m. Halifax District RCMP members responded to a call to assist Emergency Health Services (EHS) at a home in Lower Sackville involving a youth. When two of our members arrived at the home, they were advised by EHS their assistance was no longer required so our members left.

Approximately one hour later, two of our members were called back to the home for an unknown physical disturbance. Upon arrival at the home, one of our members tried to have a discussion with the complainant, while a second member tried to speak to the youth. When the member approached the youth to have the conversation, the youth immediately became violent towards the member.

Our members’ primary concern was to protect the youth, their family, and EHS as we worked to take control of the situation and remove the youth from the home so they could receive appropriate medical care.However, the violent behaviour escalated and as a result, the youth was causing significant harm to themselves and posing a threat to others. As a result, our members deployed a Conducted Energy Weapon (Taser).

Following the CEW deployment, the youth continued to exhibit violence and self-inflicted harm, as they were placed in handcuffs. At no time during the incident did the youth comply with the requests of our members to stop the violent behaviour.

Once the youth was no longer in a position to harm themselves or others, RCMP requested EHS to check on the youth’s medical condition. The youth was transported to hospital by EHS and RCMP member’s accompanied EHS in the event further assistance was required. Both members sustained injuries as a result of this incident.

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Source: Media Release